MacMillan scores early, good for 1-0 decision over Norway and Algarve
Cup Group A lead.

FERREIRAS, Portugal (Sunday, March 16, 2003) -- Striker Shannon MacMillan
celebrated her 150th appearance for the United States women by scoring
an unassisted goal in the fourth minute, enough for a 1-0 triumph over
Norway in Group A of the 10th Annual Algrave Cup before 300 at Ferreiras
Stadium this afternoon.

The U.S. (1-0-1, 4 points) can clinch first place and participation in
Thursday's Algarve title match by defeating Sweden on Tuesday in Villa
Real de San Antonio. The Americans could also win their group with a tie
depending on the results of Tuesday's Group A meeting between Norway (0-1-1,
1) and Canada (0-0-2, 2).

In today's Group A opener, Canada and Sweden (0-0-2, 2) played a 1-1
draw.

The U.S. is trying to make the final for the fourth time in eight Algarve
Cup visits. The Americans finished fifth a year ago and sixth in 2001.

"It was a full-on 90-minute committed and concentrated, aggressive game
for us," said U.S. coach April Heinrichs of today's performance. "I think
we are the most consistent team in the world and part of that is our mental
preparation for every practice and game. We rarely have a letdown because
we respect every opponent we play. We were a little timid in our first
game (against Canada), a little rusty perhaps, but tonight (the Americans')
touch was magic."

Playing into a blustery wind for the first 45 minutes, the U.S. jumped
ahead early on MacMillan's opportunistic effort. On a Norway back-pass,
MacMillan raced at goalkeeper Ingrid Hjelmseth as she prepared to play
the ball at the top of her penalty area. Blocking the attempted clearance,
MacMillan ran down the spinning ball on the left end line, turned to face
the goal, and seeing Hjelmseth cheating off her line for the cross, bent
a 12-yard shot from a difficult angle between the keeper and the near
post.

"We knew that with the wind, if we went high pressure (on defense), the
ball was going to be unpredictable out there," MacMillan said. "I think
the keeper took a longer touch than she wanted to and I was able to get
a foot on it. When I looked up, I saw some space between the goalkeeper
and the post."

For MacMillan, who scored seven of the U.S.'s eight goals at last year's
Algarve Cup, it was her 10th career goal in this tournament and 53rd of
her career. With the victory, the U.S. women defeated Norway for a third
consecutive time for the first time in the 18-year series. Norway remains
the only nation with a winning record against the Americans at 18-16-12.

While both teams attacked aggressively, neither side produced an abundance
of scoring opportunities. The U.S. outshot Norway 8-2, 4-1 on frame.

The U.S. back line, led by central defenders Brandi Chastain and Joy
Fawcett, tackled hard and won a considerable majority of balls in the
air, allowing the Americans to dictate play through much of the proceedings.
MacMillan, forward Mia Hamm and midfielder Aly Wagner displayed some nice
combination play in their attacking half of the field. Midfielders Julie
Foudy and Kristine Lilly augmented this with some intelligent defense,
settling the ball so the U.S. could go forward.

"In the first half, we were nervous, and I said to them at halftime that
to be up 1-0, playing against those kinds of winds was a victory in itself,"
Heinrichs said. "The game was not over, but the challenge was with the
wind at our back, to play smart, hang onto the ball and pick and choose
when we went forward."

In the 56th minute, reserve midfielder Angela Hucles took a pass from
Foudy, drove to the net and rolled a perfect pass into the path of Hamm.
Making a run into the right side of the box, Hamm cracked a shot that
hit Hjelmseth and then the right post, before bouncing back past Hucles
to Hamm, who sailed her shot over the crossbar.

Two minutes later, Hamm closed fast on Hjelmseth who had the ball at
her feet and blocked the clearance, leaving the keeper injured on the
ground. Hjelsmeth needed to be replaced by Astrid Johannessen, whose booming
punts and goal kicks against the wind gave Norway a glimmer of hope in
the remaining minutes.

Lilly had a chance in the 75th minute when she picked off a Norway back
pass and fired from 18 yards out, but the wind took the ball and pushed
it over the goal.

Norway's first shot came in the 77th minute and it was a dangerous. A
free kick from the left sideline found the head of striker Anita Rapp,
but Scurry dove to her left to make a solid save. Norway had one last
opportunity to equalize in the 86th minute when Rapp pushed past Fawcett
on the left flank and sent a tantalizing cross scooting through the U.S.
goal mouth. Trine Ronning, a late substitute forward, could not reach
the ball.

In today's other game, Canada went ahead 1-0 in the 81st minute when
defender Sharolta Nonen smacked a wind-aided free kick into the net from
40 yards out. Two minutes later, Sweden pulled even at 1-1 on a header
from Hanna Ljungberg.

In Group B, China rebounded from its disappointing 0-0 draw with Finland
to roll past France, 3-0. Finland and Denmark tied 0-0 and neither nation
has scored in this event. In Group C, Ireland defeated Wales 3-1 while
Portugal needed a tally in stoppage time to tie Greece, 1-1. Eight of
the 12 Algarve Cup games thus far have ended in draws.